Configure with greptile.json (Perforce)

Project Boundary

Where to Place `greptile.json`

You can configure Greptile by adding a greptile.json file at the root of your project boundary. The project boundary is the context path shown in the review summary. Example If your review summary shows:

Run with Greptile v3 — Context used: //depot/linux/arch/alpha

Then the configuration file must be placed at:

//depot/linux/arch/alpha/greptile.json

Greptile will use this file when reviewing changes within that boundary.

How Greptile Determines the Project Boundary

Greptile determines the boundary based on the onboarded paths involved in the review. Case A: Review Spans Multiple Onboarded Paths If:

//depot/project/frontend is onboarded
//depot/project/backend is onboarded
//depot/project is also onboarded

And the review includes files from both:

//depot/project/frontend
//depot/project/backend

Then:

Greptile finds the nearest common parent
Since //depot/project is onboarded, it becomes the project boundary
The configuration used will be:

//depot/project/greptile.json

Case B: Review Is Limited to a Single Onboarded Path If the review only contains files from:

//depot/project/frontend

And that path is onboarded, then:

//depot/project/frontend becomes the project boundary
The configuration used will be:

//depot/project/frontend/greptile.json

Key Rules

Greptile:

Uses the nearest common parent path
Only considers parents that are also onboarded
Loads the greptile.json file from the resolved project boundary

greptile.json

{
  "strictness": 2,
  "commentTypes": ["logic", "syntax", "style"],
  "instructions": "Ensure all code follows the team's style guide.",
  "ignorePatterns": "greptile.json\n*.md\n*.txt\nscripts/",
  "notify": "silent",
  "emailAuthorOnComplete": true,
  "summarySection": {
    "included": true
  },
  "issuesTableSection": {
    "included": true
  },
  "confidenceScoreSection": {
    "included": true
  },
  "customContext": {
    "rules": [
      {
        "scope": ["**/*.py"],
        "rule": "All functions must have docstrings"
      }
    ],
    "files": [
      {
        "scope": ["**/*.ts", "**/*.js"],
        "path": "//depot/projects/my_project/style_guide.md",
        "description": "TypeScript style guide"
      }
    ],
    "other": [
      {
        "scope": [],
        "content": "Focus on security and performance issues"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Configuration Parameters

All parameters are optional.

Parameter	Type	Description
`strictness`	number	Severity threshold for comments (1-3). 1 = all issues, 2 = moderate filtering, 3 = only critical issues. Defaults to 2.
`commentTypes`	array	Types of comments Greptile should make. Options: “logic” (business logic issues), “syntax” (language-specific best practices), “style” (formatting, naming conventions). All enabled by default.
`instructions`	string	Natural language instructions for code reviews.
`ignorePatterns`	string	Newline-separated list of file patterns to ignore, following .gitignore syntax.
`autoReview`	array	Swarm review events that start a Greptile review without being asked: `open` (review created) and `push` (review updated). Default `["open"]`.
`skipReview`	string	Legacy form of `autoReview`: when set to AUTOMATIC, skips reviews triggered automatically by Swarm review events (opens, updates, etc), the same as `autoReview: []`.
`notify`	string	Controls email notifications. When set to `"silent"`, Swarm will not send email notifications to the author or reviewers.
`emailAuthorOnComplete`	boolean	If set to true will send an email to the author that the review is completed. Default behavior is false.
`summarySection`	object	Controls review summary section. Property: included (boolean).
`issuesTableSection`	object	Controls issues table section. Property: included (boolean).
`confidenceScoreSection`	object	Controls confidence score section. Property: included (boolean).
`customContext`	object	Advanced context with three arrays: `rules`, `files`, and `other`. Each supports optional scope targeting.

Ignore Patterns

The ignorePatterns field uses .gitignore syntax to exclude files from review. Patterns are separated by \n (newline characters) in the JSON string. Paths are relative to the project boundary.

// Ignore specific files
{
  "ignorePatterns": "greptile.json\nREADME.md"
}

// Ignore by file extension
{
  "ignorePatterns": "*.md\n*.txt\n*.log"
}

// Ignore directories
{
  "ignorePatterns": "scripts/\nvendor/\nthird_party/"
}

// Ignore nested directories
{
  "ignorePatterns": "src/utils/testing/\nlib/external/deprecated/"
}

// Ignore with glob patterns
{
  "ignorePatterns": "**/*.generated.*\ntests/**/*.snap\ndocs/**"
}

// Combined example
{
  "ignorePatterns": "greptile.json\n*.md\n*.txt\nscripts/\n**/*.generated.*"
}

Custom Context

The customContext field provides additional context for code reviews: rules - Specific coding rules to enforce

Define coding standards or project-specific requirements
Each rule includes a scope (glob patterns) and rule (string)

files - Reference depot documentation files

Point to existing style guides or reference files using Perforce depot paths
Includes path (e.g., //depot/projects/my_project/style_guide.md), description, and scope

other - General instructions or context

Additional background information or high-level guidance
Includes content and optional scope

Scope Targeting

Each context item supports an optional scope array using glob patterns. For Perforce, scope patterns work with depot paths:

{
  "customContext": {
    "files": [
      {
        "scope": ["//depot/apps/**", "//depot/libs/**"],
        "path": "//depot/shared/security-rules.md"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Additional scope examples:

"scope": ["**/*.py"]                   // All Python files
"scope": ["//depot/src/**/*.ts"]       // TypeScript files in depot/src
"scope": []                            // All files (default)

​Project Boundary

​Where to Place greptile.json

​How Greptile Determines the Project Boundary

​Key Rules

​Configuration Parameters

​Ignore Patterns

​Custom Context

​Scope Targeting